# winemaking



## par (May 22, 2005)

any of the botl's into this?

I've done a batch of cab sauvignon over the past year. Bottled a few weeks ago, should be drinkable in another few months. Initial barrel samples indicated good results!

Just working on the initial fermentation of a batch of sauvignon blanc. Monterey county grapes picked last thursday, pressed friday night and i stabilized them over night before inoculating them with yeast on sunday. Should finish the initial fermentation by monday-wednesday and then over into carboys for secondary fermentation. All indications suggest that this years sav blanc is a really nice one. I'm not oaking this batch, hoping for a fairly dry and mineraly wine. another 2-3 months before we know how it turns out.

Will probably experiment this year with a batch of botrytised wine. Think Sauternes from france. I think this is a difficult wine, which requires malolactic fermentation (basically breaking down malic acid as a part of the final fermentation). I think i'll try it with napa grapes, i have access to some frozen juice so i don't have to do it right away.

Anyway, one of the benefits of living close to wine country -cuvee 'Par'!  J/K...

My house smells of yeast like you wouldn't believe...!


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## OilMan (May 12, 2006)

We have done a little "country wine" no fancy stuff. Just fruit and sugar. Its drinkable.


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## rumballs (Mar 15, 2005)

not I.

but this blog is pretty interesting:
http://www.lagramiere.com/blog/


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## RPB67 (Mar 26, 2005)

Into it all the way.

My dad has been doing it for 15 years now. He usually does a batch of 86 cases of grapes.

He has the big stainless steal barrells and a nice wine cellar to age the wine and let it sit while it ferments. 

Nothing like homemade wine. Especially red.


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## Cigar Jockey (Feb 12, 2006)

Nope not yet  soon
Just bottled my first batch of brew in 10 years yesterday, some Pale Ale.:dr


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## mdtaggart (Sep 22, 2006)

I am in. Have done maybe 17 batches or so. Just picked 120 lbs of Leon Millot, the grapes were free to anyone that would pick them. I have done several kits and some country wines also. Fun stuff. Reds are my favorite, good with stogies IMHO.


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## RockyP (Aug 31, 2006)

i have been making homemade wine with my grandfather for over 20 years and he has been making it for well over 45 years.


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## tiptone (Jul 30, 2006)

Got married in June last year. At the reception we had 30 bottles of red, 30 bottles of white, and 15-gallons of beer, all of it made at my in-laws house. I don't drink wine myself but had a blast making it and the beer sure went fast.


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## nortmand (Jul 28, 2006)

I've made mead, cherry wine, cider and gallons and gallons of beer, haven't delved into the grape wine stuff, though. I'd definitely be tempted if I had access to fresh wine grapes to press, but here most of the stuff comes in juice kits, which takes out some of the romance of the process.


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## bpcr (May 13, 2006)

In over my head i think i make all kinds of beer and mead, wine from anything but grapes... i have a kiwi and watermelon and strawberry and blue berry in carboys now got 45 # of peaches i am freezing today to get them going.I have like 400 bottels in the celler and counting ... i belive this is over the top for most but its fun and keeps me out of trouble.... pm me if you would like to try something other that grapes.....AB:al


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## Vanderburgh (Aug 9, 2006)

I brew both wine and beer. I use the Festa Brew kits, and they are always amazing. No water added, just add yeast. I have never had a bad one. Ready in 3 weeks start to finish.


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## Guest (Oct 5, 2006)

I do blueberry wine now and again. I like wild low sweet berries the best, the store stuff just doesn't have the flavor just mass. I also do mead and beer. Running low on the mead, might do run in a couple of months.


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## Demented (Nov 7, 2006)

I've made cherry and blueberry wine, and brew an Imperial Porter (15% abv) thats a favorite amoung friends and family. Have to be careful drinking that one, it has no alcohol flavore or aroma thus goes down very smooth.

I made close to 150 gallons of mead last year (fermented honey), ranging in strength from 10.5% abv all the way up to 25% abv.

I have 6.5 gallons of orange blossom honey mead that been bulk aging for 8 months now and 3 gallons of a Belgian wheat/apple farmhouse ale thats ready for priming and bottling.

Be well,

Demented


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## bilder (Oct 23, 2006)

I have not made any in a few years.

Got a few bottles of 2000 apple and pineapple still around. My mother stole all my raspberry wine a couple years ago. I guess she really liked it.  

Have made beer and wine off and on for the last 15 years. The urge hits me and I make a few batches, then I can go for years before I make more.


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## Kayak_Rat (Nov 28, 2005)

Mmmmm....gonna hafta make a trip to the mountains. Plenty o' wine up there.


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## tiptone (Jul 30, 2006)

Demented said:


> I've made cherry and blueberry wine, and brew an Imperial Porter (15% abv) thats a favorite amoung friends and family. Have to be careful drinking that one, it has no alcohol flavore or aroma thus goes down very smooth.
> 
> I made close to 150 gallons of mead last year (fermented honey), ranging in strength from 10.5% abv all the way up to 25% abv.
> 
> ...


We were given a case of mead to take to the wedding last year by the owner of the shop that my father-in-law gets as his brew supplies at. Still have one bottle that's not been opened in the fridge. Boy is it strong...


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## TU09 (Mar 26, 2006)

I am actually planning on planting a few vines this coming year. Probably Norton and Viognier, maybe a Cab Franc; all vines that grow pretty well in VA. I figure I've got a ton of unused acreage, might as well plant a couple vines so I can toy with wine makeing in a few years though a little more altitude would be good.

VA actually produces about 350k cases a year, includeing some very well regarded wines such as viognier and the sparkling wines from Oasis so I might be able to make something of it.


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